National North Round-Up 14/08/2018

By Ray Simpson

National North Round-Up 14/08/2018

 We picked up our first victory of the season with an impressive display at Brackley. Reece Sty...

 

Comp Logo BlackWe picked up our first victory of the season with an impressive display at Brackley. Reece Styche scored his first hat-trick for the club, with Simon Ainge also on the scoresheet in our 4-2 win. The result moved us up to 10th in the table one point outside the playoffs.

Chorley are the only side with a 100% record after they won 1-0 at Nuneaton Borough. Marcus Carver scored the only goal just before half time.

Leamington continued their strong start to the season and remain unbeaten after a 4-2 win at home to Bradford Park Avenue. Matthew Stenson scored twice for Leamington along with goals for Callum Gitting and Anthony Dwyer. Shane Killock and Oliver Johnson both netted consolations in stoppage time for Park Avenue.

Hereford are also on seven points with the Brakes after they won 1-0 at Curzon Ashton. Harry White scored the only goal of the game for the Bulls who are yet to concede.

Stockport County are fourth after a 1-0 win at Southport who are second bottom and remain pointless. Southport played the majority of the game with ten men, but it took County till five minutes from time thanks to Connor Dimaio to break the deadlock.

FC United of Manchester are bottom and are the other side yet to get off the mark after they lost 3-0 at home to Boston United. Bradley Abbott scored two of the goals with Andre Johnson also netting in between.

The biggest story of the weekend though was Blyth who hadn’t picked up a point from their opening two games beating one of the title favourites Chester 8-1. It was 3-0 at the break thanks to Kieran Green, Daniel Maguire and Jamie Holmes. Amazingly of the eight only Maguire scored twice, with Sean Reid, Adam Wrightson, Nathan Buddle and an own goal also finding the back of the Chester net. Gary Stopforth scored Chester’s goal but it will have been little consolation to the travelling fans.

Two sides Spennymoor and Kidderminster have drawn all three of their games so far. Spennymoor played out a thrilling 4-4 draw with Altrincham who are also undefeated. Mark Anderson put the Brewers ahead early on, before Andrew White and James Jones turned the game around. Adam Boyes netted his first for Spennymoor on 40 minutes, but Josh Hancock put Alty back ahead shortly after the interval. Shane Henry made it 3-3 before Hancock appeared to have won it late on for the visitors. However, for the second time in a week Glen Taylor scored a late equaliser to earn the hosts a point.

Kidderminster Harriers also needed a late goal at home to rescue a point. Matthew Chadwick and Matthew Regan, both scored inside the first six minutes for Ashton United, with Joel Taylor pulling one back for Harriers. The hosts were then reduced to ten men and the game looked over after Nic Evangelinos put Ashton 3-1 up. However, despite being a man down Ashley Chambers and Kane Richards scored late goals to earn Kidderminster a 3-3 draw.

Guiseley picked up their first point of the season with a late goal at home to Telford. Andre Brown put the visitors ahead with 14 minutes left, but Curtis Morrison made it 1-1 for Guiseley in stoppage time.

In the last game of the week York suffered a home defeat against Alfreton. Tom Denton and Curtis Bateson scored twice in three first half minutes for Alfreton. Macauley Langstaff pulled one back for York after the break but they couldn’t find the equaliser.

There are a full set of fixtures in midweek with ourselves hosting Blyth Spartans on Wednesday night.